Thermostatic electric-circuit controller.



No. 739,685. PATBNTBD SEPT. 22, 1903. C. & G. KLOPFANSTEIN.

THERMOSTATIC ELECTRIC CIRCUIT CONTROLLER.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 15, 1903.

H0 MODEL. 2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

WITNESSES. lNVE/VTORS.

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No. 739,685. BATENTED SEPT. 22, 1903.. c. & G. KLOPFANSTEIN. THERMOSTATIG ELECTRIC CIRCUIT CONTROLLER.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 15, 1903.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

H0 MODEL.

WITNESSES:

INVENTOBS' Y Chrz'sizan 7620 0 Goa 2671687670 aiwb ATTORNEYS "m2 norms PEYERS co. more-mac WASNlNGTON.-D- c UNITED STATES Patented September 22, 1903.

PATENT OFFICE.

TH ERMOSTATlC ELECTRlC ClRCUlT CONTROLLER.

SPECIFICATION fama part of Letters Patent No. 739,685, dated September 22, 1903. Application filed January 15,1903 Serial No. 139,210. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, CHRISTIAN KLOPFAN- STEIN and GODFRIED KLOPFANSTEIN, residing at Utica, in the countyof Oneida and State of New York, have invented a new and Improved Thermostatic Electric-Oircuit Gontroller, of which the following is a specification.

Our invention relates to improvements in thermostatic electric-circuit controlling device, in which the circuit-terminals are normally cut out-that is, held separatedbydevices adapted under a predetermined degree of heat to cease acting as a separating means and effect an electrical connection between the circuit-terminals, whereby to energize an alarm, signal,or other similar signal mechanism.

Referring now to the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a front elevation illustrating our invention as applied for use. Fig. 2 is a vertical section of the. same on the line 2 2 of- Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a horizontal section on the line 3 3 of Fig. 1; and Fig. 4 is a diagrammatic view, the main circuit being shown arranged to energize an independent alarm-bell.

In the accompanying drawings, Fig. 1 designates an ordinary thermometer stand or .with a bell A, as clearly shown in Fig. 1, and

the terminal 66 of said wires is in the nature of a stud which projects from a plate 3 ad jacent the bulb 2 at one side thereof, and the terminal of the other wire 5 is a springplate b, secured to the base 1 at the other side of the bulb 2 and with its flexible portion is normally supported upon the said bulb with its outer end projected over the opposing terminal stud Ct, as clearly shown in Fig. 3, it being understood that when the parts are arranged as shown in the said Fig. 8 the circuit 5 to the battery and the bell A is broken or inert. At a point above the upper end of the plate 3 is mounted a metal bracket-piece 6, which carriesabinding-post 6 to which is joined one terminal 7 of the supplemental electric circuit 7, the other terminal 7 of which joins With a bindingpost 8 adjacent the bulb 2 and to which is secured a steel rod 8, the end 8 of which is fused with and projects into the bulb 2 and is immersed in the expansible substance (mercury) within the said bulb 2*, and the said circuit 7 in the construction shown in Fig. 1 is joined with the circuit 5 controlled by the bulb 2*".

While we have described the supplemental circuit 7 as coupled with the main circuit 5 it is obvious that the said circuits 5 and 7 may be utilizedfor energizing independent alarms or signaling means. In the ordinary arrangement of our invention the bell or signal A is located within or upon the building in which the thermostatic devices are mounted, and when arranged, as described,

the supplementary circuit 7 is utilized for initially sounding an alarm or for giving a signal when the heat within the-room containing the thermostatic devices registers a predetermined degree less than the maximum for which the thermostat is adapted, and hence the supplementary circuit when energized gives the first alarm. This first alarm we arrange to be given at any predetermined degree of heat less than the maximum which the thermostatic devices will withstand, as before stated,and this accomplished by means of an adjustable contacting member, which is in the nature of a fine steel rod (indicated by 9) slidable within and through the upper end of the tube 2 and joins with an adjustingscrew 9, mounted in the threaded box 6 of the member 6. It will thus be seen should the rod or needle 9 be set to, say, ninety degrees, as indicated in the drawings, that in the event of the mercury rising within the tube to that point a contact between the mercury and the rod 9 is made, the circuit 7 closed thereby, and by reason thereof the circuit 5* is energized to ring the bell A. Now this ringing of the bell will continue (unless the circuits 7 or 5 are switched olf in any well-known manner) until the substance within the frangible tube extends to such extent" as to burst the bulb 2 in which event the said substance will leave the tube 2, and the circuit through the Wires 7 7 will thereby line with the bell A it is obvious that the cirnals is a common expedient.

cuit 5 may be carried outside of the building to ring a separate bell, (see Fig. 4,) or it may be carried to a station or fire-house, if desired.

From the foregoing it will be readily apparent that the fragile tube and its bulb form a simple and convenient means for controlling a single signal or bell adapted to be energized initially at a predetermined degree of heat by a simple adjustment of the contact member 9 and to automatically again energize the same bell when a maximum degree of heat is reached. In both operations the tube with its bulb act as the medium for controlling both circuits 5 and 7. We are aware that mercury-holders have been pro vided in which the expansion of the mercury is utilized for closing contacts and that fuseblocks for separating electric circuit-termi- Our invention,

however, differentiates from what has been done in this line so far as we know in the peculiar correlation of the two circuits and the we claim, and desire to secure by Letters Pat-- ent, ise The combination with a suitable stand, the frangible tube having a bulb at the lower end mounted thereon, an expansible substance within the said tube and bulb, a main electric circuit, an alarm or signal mechanism cooperatively joined with the said circuit, the terminals of said circuit including a spring member normally held separated from its opposing contact member by the bulb on the frangible tube, a supplemental circuit joined with the main circuit, one of the terminals of said circuit being fused to project within. the bulb of the frangible tube, a metallic rod adjustable through the upper end of the frangible tube, said rod being connected to the other terminal of the supplemental circuit, all being arranged substantially as shown and for the purposesdescribed.

CHRISTIAN KLOPFANSTEIN. GODFRIED KLOPFANSTEIN. Witnesses:

A. J. BAEOHLE, EARL O. CLARK. 

